Word:Mac 2011 clunky text box operation

Does anyone else feel disappointed with Word:Mac 2011's text-box functions in publishing layout view?

I'm a poet and like to play around with text layout, including overlaying portions of text. I was really impressed with the smooth operation in Word:Mac 2008 ... the only downside was you couldn't turn text upside down, nor could you angle lines of text. So, I upgraded to 2011 just so as to gain that extra rotation function with text boxes.

Annoyingly, now when you slide a text box into position the text in the box momentarily disappears, whereas in 2008 the text remained visible and moved smoothly, which allowed for some fairly precise text alignments, and no interruption to creativity. But ... even worse, in 2011, when you move text boxes containing substantial sections of text, portions of the text either disappear, not momentarily but for considerable time, and often text also becomes visually garbled, mostly by the top halves of letters on a line being sliced off... this is pretty rubbish for such an expensive piece of software.

I've tried my partner's Word:Mac 2011 on her Mac, and the same problem persists.

Is this a known bug? Is there a fix for this?

I haven't really noticed it but to be honest, we do all our publishing work using iStudio Publisher. Although Word 2011 can be put into layout mode, I prefer using an application designed specifically for publishing. I'll have to experiment a bit with what you stated and see if it does the same for me.

You didn't mention which Macs you tried it on nor what version of OS X you're running. You can see my specs to compare.

Office 2011 Word in Publishing layout mode:

Didn't take long to do some experimenting. I just created a text box and filled it with text and did some moving:

First, rotating the text box was smooth... text remained in view until the rotation was completed.

Second, moving a text box filled with text: The original text box remained in view with the text until it was moved to another location. Once the new location was locked, the old location disappeared and the new one took its place. At no time did the text disappear.

I'm not sure what you're experiencing, but this is the way it's supposed to work. I no longer have Office 2008 installed so I can not compare between the two versions.

I'm using Mountain Lion 10.8.4 with an iMac Mid 2011 machine.

Thank you!

I'm wondering if we have a faulty copy of Word: Mac 2011. We recently bought it on DVD, rather than as download.

We are both using Mountain Lion on MacBook Pros.

The amount of text I was putting in the text box was substantial, a whole A5 page, although 2008 has no problem with coping with that amount of text.

I've just compared them again - in 2011 when I move the text box it is jerky compared to the smoothness of 2008.

As I think you've just experienced, the text in the text box plays catch-up as you move the text box, rather than the text disappearing completely, as I’d incorrectly stated previously. As you go to move the text box it creates a blank ‘ghost’ of the text box, with a grey frame, which can be moved, whilst the text remains with the original positioned text box. Once you position the ‘ghost’ of the text box and click, then the original positioned text box disappears and the text shoots across to relocate in the new position. This is very awkward for fine alignment, as well as being difficult to describe! - where as in 2008, the process can easily be described thus: the text box moves seamlessly and uncorrupted, as if it were printed clearly on acetate and was being slid easily across a page.

2008 is far superior regarding fine text placement. e.g. working at 500% to, for example, get the dot of an ‘i’ in the eye of an ‘e’ – I can’t do that easily with 2011. Or at least not with the copy I’ve got!

Also, I’ve noticed (at least I’m pretty sure I have) that you can’t put a text box behind non-text box text, where as you certainly can in 2008.

So, far I’m pretty disappointed with its reduced ‘smoothness’, not to mention the glitchiness of text being sliced and disappearing ... which, as I’ve said, is possibly something to do with a faulty copy of the software ... ? I just don’t know. My son has a copy on his MacBook, so I’ll be checking his tomorrow, and if it behaves the same, then I’ll be fairly convinced that MS have botched it.

So, far I’m pretty disappointed with its reduced ‘smoothness’, not to mention the glitchiness of text being sliced and disappearing ... which, as I’ve said, is possibly something to do with a faulty copy of the software ... ? I just don’t know. My son has a copy on his MacBook, so I’ll be checking his tomorrow, and if it behaves the same, then I’ll be fairly convinced that MS have botched it.

Click to expand...

As I stated previously, I don't really use Word to do my publishing or layout work. Although it can be used that way, it does have its drawbacks. I don't think your copy of Word is faulty as it's likely just the way it works.

And by the way, I also have Office 2010 Word (Windows version) which seems to be much smoother in performing the same publishing tasks.

I have the very same problem, and have had for some time. I do not understand why the text disappears when I pull a text box off to the side board. Mine does not "catch up" and display later. It stays invisible, and I forget that there is a text element there.

Word Mac 2011 iMac 2012 OSX 10.7.5